VR Tech Times

The VW Tayron R-Line is back in the Autocar India garage, and we’ve been running it for some weeks now. First things first, I switch off the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) as a matter of habit. The thing is, every time you turn on the car, the system defaults to AEB being active; it doesn’t remember that you last turned it off. This can be rather annoying, but like with most CBUs, which this VW Tayron R-Line is, it follows the homologation requirements of Europe, or what is called GSR 870. That means, for safety reasons, it is mandated to have the AEB on by default every time you begin driving the car.  AEB triggers inadvertently in traffic. Now, in Europe and other parts of the world where traffic is predictable and sane, it makes sense, but on our chaotic streets, pedestrians, cyclists, bikes and three-wheelers can trigger the AEB into a heart-stopping slam on the brakes, with the risk of being rear-ended by someone who is two inches away from your bumper. Every run to work,...

Royal Enfield’s Continental GT 650 is the brand’s modern take on the classic cafe racer, combining a retro design with its 648cc parallel-twin engine. If you’re considering one, here’s everything you need to know about the motorcycle. 1. How much does the Continental GT 650 cost? Royal Enfield has priced the Continental GT 650 from Rs 3.58 lakh to Rs 3.88 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai). The Rocker Red and British Racing Green variants are priced at Rs 3.58 lakh, while the Apex Grey and Mr Clean cost Rs 3.81 lakh and Rs 3.88 lakh, respectively. 2. Which engine does the Continental GT 650 have? The Continental GT 650 continues with Royal Enfield’s 648cc, air/oil-cooled parallel-twin engine. It produces 47hp at 7,150rpm and 52.3Nm at 5,250rpm, with power sent to the rear wheel through a six-speed gearbox. 3. What is the seat height of the Continental GT 650? The Continental GT 650 has an 820mm seat height. It also has a 1,398mm wheelbase and 174mm of ground clearance. 4. What features does ...

Lando Norris scored back-to-back wins after taking victory at the Dutch GP – the last race held at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future. Despite missing out on the win, Kimi Antonelli did stretch his championship lead after finishing second, ahead of his Mercedes teammate George Russell. Norris wins, 11.536 sec ahead of Antonelli Mercedes scores double podium finish Alonso P9 for Aston Martin Norris wins Dutch GP Verstappen crashes out of home race Starting from pole position, Norris initially held the lead. But the race was red-flagged moments later as Max Verstappen crashed out on the opening lap after losing control on the drying track.  Fresh off announcing his contract extension with Red Bull, the four-time world champion was keen to win his home race, with Zandvoort dropping off the F1 calendar next year.  However, Verstappen appeared to struggle for pace throughout the weekend. “[It was a] disappointing end to a weekend that already, I think, was quite tough for us – n...

In the analogue age, I planned road trips with paper maps, fluorescent highlighters and dog-eared guidebooks. Lately, however, Uncle Claude and Aunty Gemini have lured me into the world of artificial intelligence. When I asked them to suggest an adventurous drive through south Utah, they both recommended similar itineraries. It was like asking the chef at a dhaba to surprise me with something unusual and being served butter chicken instead. Zion, Bryce Canyon and Arches. Three magnificent National Parks connected by smooth highways and comfortable hotels. Our search engine for Utah beyond the tourist trail. No signal required. This route hits Utah’s greatest highlights, featuring soaring cliffs, towering hoodoos and delicate sandstone arches. However, the parks are often so busy that sedans circle overflowing car parks, rather like sharks patiently circling a lifeboat. I wanted roads that filtered out sedans and coaches, demanded preparation and delivered adventure, where the SUV beca...

Going by the amount of social media chatter around any NCAP test, you’d think India is one safety-obsessed nation. Awareness is rising, but safety is far from ingrained in our ethos like it is in, say, Japan. We all know the current state of road safety is appalling, but I’m not talking about driving manners or vehicle collisions or crash ratings. Of late, there’s another aspect of road safety that’s really been bothering me; the road itself and everything around it.  During the rains in Mumbai last month, two girls were electrocuted in a water-logged street. Luckily, timely intervention from a passer-by and medical treatment at a hospital saved them. Last year, an auto-rickshaw driver had his head  pierced by a falling iron rod from metro construction; thankfully emergency neurosurgery saved him too. Not everyone is so lucky though, if you can even call these accidents lucky. A concrete slab from an under-construction girder bridge fell onto a moving auto-rickshaw and car an...

In March 2026, Skoda launched the updated Kushaq and one of the biggest updates was the introduction of a new 8-speed torque converter (automatic) with the smaller 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine, replacing the older 6-speed automatic. We've put the 2026 Kushaq 1.0L 8AT through our real-world fuel efficiency tests to see how it fares. Gets an aggressive auto stop-start system Weighs 1300kg Claimed efficiency is 19.09kpl, 1kpl more than 1.0 6AT Skoda Kushaq 1.0L automatic mileage explained Powering the Kushaq is the same 1.0-litre three cylinder direct injection turbo-petrol engine that produces 115hp and 178Nm. With the addition of a new 8-speed automatic gearbox, the claimed efficiency has gone up by 1kpl, to 19.09kpl. In our real world tests, the Kushaq returned 10.7kpl in the city and 15.1kpl on the highway, bringing its overall average efficiency to 12.9kpl. Interestingly, the updated Kushaq is 1.8kpl and 2.7kpl, more efficient than the older Kushaq with the 6-speed automatic ...

With the Special Edition, Aprilia has addressed almost all the major complaints with the Tuono 457 but what exactly are the changes? At first glance, both motorcycles look the same and they largely are the same as well. This is a case of small changes adding up to a markedly different (and better) final product. Aprilia Tuono 457 vs Tuono 457 Special Edition: Design Slightly different, with a new colour The most obvious change is the updated decals and the brand-new Mamba Black colour. The new colourway, which is exclusive to the Special Edition at the moment, gets a blacked out chassis and swingarm which wasn’t the case earlier. Even on the Puma Gray colour (carried over from earlier), Aprilia has updated the decals so the India-specific Special Edition does look different compared to the international version of the Tuono 457. Aprilia Tuono 457 vs Tuono 457 Special Edition: Comfort Seat, handlebar, and suspension all see upgrades Starting off with changes that are visible, Aprilia...

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Yamaha appears to be preparing a higher-spec version of its retro-styled XSR900. An XSR900 SP has surfaced in US regulatory filings, pointing to the possibility of a new performance-focused variant of the 890cc neo-retro motorcycle. XSR900 SP name appears in Yamaha’s US NHTSA filings Expected to share the 117.4hp CP3 engine with the standard XSR900 Could borrow premium suspension and braking hardware from the MT-09 SP Yamaha XSR900 SP: what the filings reveal The XSR900 SP has appeared in vehicle identification number (VIN) filings submitted by Yamaha to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The documents list both a standard XSR900 SP and a California-spec version, indicating that Yamaha is preparing the model for the 2027 model year. The filings show that the XSR900 SP will use Yamaha’s 890cc, three-cylinder CP3 engine, with a peak output of 117.4hp. This is identical to the output listed for the standard XSR900, as well as the MT-09, Tracer 9 and R9 in the...

Car insurance is an essential part of vehicle ownership, yet it is often one of the least understood. While third-party insurance is mandatory for vehicles used on public roads in India, owners can choose from different types of cover depending on the protection they need. Here's everything you need to know about car insurance, from coverage and claims to renewals and add-ons. 1. What is car insurance and why is it mandatory? Car insurance protects vehicle owners against specified financial losses arising from accidents and other insured events. Depending on the policy, it can cover damage to your own vehicle, liability towards third parties, or both. Third-party insurance is mandatory for vehicles used on public roads in India. It covers the owner's legal liability for injury, death or property damage caused to a third party. Driving without valid third-party insurance is an offence. 2. What are the different types of car insurance? Car insurance is broadly available as third...

Royal Enfield has just updated the Continental GT 650 for 2026. While the mechanicals remain where they were earlier, the popular cafe racer gets a few new features like LED indicators, USB type-C port and cosmetic updates like a black instrument cowl. The Rocker Red colour now also gets a blacked out engine case and cast-alloy wheels, both of which were previously limited to the Apex Grey colour. The Interceptor, the platform sibling, is yet to see an update for 2026 but how do the 650 twins differ? Let’s examine it in detail. All prices ex-showroom, Chennai Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: What’s shared? Engine, chassis, and more Both have quite a lot in common. They share the steel tubular, dual-cradle frame, the 648cc twin-cylinder engine making 47.4hp of power and 52.3 Nm of torque, tyre sizes, suspension, and most of the dimensions. Both also get alloy and wire spoke wheel options, but not on all the colours. In addition to this, most of Royal Enfield’s first...

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While it sells multiple SUV models, Skoda is the only mass-market automaker that has also remained steadfastly committed to the sedan body type. The Czech brand recently introduced three sedans all at the same event – something of a rarity in an otherwise SUV-dominated market. Skoda’s latest entrants in India include the Slavia facelift, the Superb diesel and the Octavia RS. While admitting to the market’s preference for SUVs over the last decade or so, Ashish Gupta, brand director at Skoda Auto India, also said, “If you look at it, sedans continue to be the quintessential car.” Gupta says the charm of sedans hasn’t gone away He cites a lack of focus in the segment by manufacturers SUV saturation expected to work in favour of sedans The Czech automaker thinks sedans are here to stay Gupta believes the sedan body type will continue to make sense for the brand The Superb nameplate arrived 90 years ago, with the line-up eventually including models such as the Octavia, Rapid and Slavia. ...

Royal Enfield has just announced a new, commemorative edition of the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition. Meant as an acknowledgement to the bravery and discipline of the Gorkha Regiment of the Indian army, the variant has prominent hat-tips to the most celebrated army unit in the world. If all of that sounds appealing to you and you want to bring one home, here’s what you need to know about it. 1. How is the Gorkha Edition different from the regular Classic 350? Being a commemorative edition, the Gorkha Edition has a special colour called Gorkha Green which resembles a lot of army vehicles. It features two crossed Khukris on both the side panels, the official insignia of the Gorkha Regiment. There’s also a ‘Gorkha Edition’ sticker on the fuel tank, just above the fuel lid. The overall design and the dimensions remain unchanged otherwise. 2. How much does the Gorkha Edition cost? Royal Enfield has priced the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition at Rs 2.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) which puts it right i...